M. Albert Clemenceau.--“You will not find Mme. de Boulancy at 22,
Boulevard des Batignolles. I have the honor to offer a motion drawn up
forty-eight hours ago, in which we foresaw that Mme. de Boulancy would
be afflicted with heart trouble, and here, according to the terms of
her letter, she is suffering with an affection of the heart. We were
not mistaken.”
M. Clemenceau then offered a formal motion that, whereas Mme. de
Boulancy had declared on several occasions that she possessed letters
from Major Esterhazy no less insulting to the French army than those
already known, and that she would produce them in the assize court, and
whereas it was known to the defence that Mme. de Boulancy had recently
received three dispatches from Major Esterhazy demanding a return of
these letters, and threatening her with death if she should produce
them in court, and whereas, because of these threats, Mme. de Boulancy
had moved, concealing her new address, a physician be sent to examine
her physical condition, and that a police officer be sent to seize the
letters and dispatches referred to, wherever he might find them.
The Judge.--“M. Lebrun-Renault writes: ‘I am summoned only because of
the special service that I performed January 5, 1895, at the parade in
which Captain Dreyfus was disgraced. I can report what took place in
the course of this service only to my hierarchical chiefs, and that is
what I did. It is for them to make such use of my report as may seem to
them proper. As for me, outside of them, I am bound to silence by my
professional duty. Wherefore it is impossible for me to testify before
the jurors. Under these circumstances I shall not respond.’”
M. Labori then offered a motion that, whereas there had been for
some weeks a question in the press and at the tribune of the chamber
of deputies of pretended confessions made by ex-Captain Dreyfus to
Captain Lebrun-Renault on the day of the former’s degradation, the
court order the hearing, first, of M. Lebrun-Renault, who will be asked
to state whether he received the confession from Dreyfus and under
what conditions, whether he reported the confession officially and
under what circumstances, and whether he has spoken to various persons
concerning them, and especially to M. Forzinetti, the baron de Vaux, M.
P..., M. Fontbrune, and M. Dumont, and, second, of any other witness
who can be usefully questioned concerning these matters.
The judge then read the following letter from Major Ravary:
My presence at the trial would be absolutely useless. I abstain, then,
from appearing.